Rotorua Social Monitor reveals progress in social wellbeing

ROTORUA01.07.13: A
report on key social trends in Rotorua released by Rotorua
District Council (RDC) this week shows progress being made
in a number of social wellbeing areas.

The latest Social
Monitor Rotorua has been compiled by the council using the
latest statistical information from government and other
sources. The document provides analyses and insights into
social trends in the district, and is part of a series of
publications produced by RDC to track social trends and
assist with community planning.

Progress in social
wellbeing revealed in the report includes a decrease in the
total number of children being stood down, suspended and
excluded from school, a decrease in notifications to Child,
Youth and Family, and an increase in the percentage of
people who feel the public has at least some influence on
Council decisions.

However negative trends include a
higher than national rate of infant deaths, higher than
national rate of people receiving an Unemployment Benefit,
and a drop in the percentage of people rating community
spirit as good or very good.

RDC policy and research
officer, Caroline Matangi, said the information and data
collected for the Social Monitor helps to increase awareness
and understanding of key social patterns and trends in the
district.

“Rotorua District Council works closely
with many other Rotorua stakeholder groups, including NZ
Police, Lakes DHB, and other central government and
not-for-profit organisations, on projects that support the
wellbeing of Rotorua residents.

“Some of the areas of
collaborative work currently underway in Rotorua are
coordinated by the council and others by central government
agencies such as police, health, education, or by other
not-for-profit groups. All of these sectors have distinct
but complementary roles in the development and delivery of
public policy and services for our residents.

“We
know that through these partnerships we can more effectively
improve services for the community, and more specifically
make improvements in the issues identified in this
report.“

The Social Monitor is available at the Rotorua
District Library and can be purchased for $12 per copy from
the council’s Customer Centre. The Social Monitor can
also be downloaded free of charge from the Council website
www.rdc.govt.nz [under
Our Council/Publications/Monitoring and Statistics/Related
Pages].

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